Coaching at the collegiate level goes beyond just game strategy. This series explores the administrative side of running a successful program, with practical insights from Coach Mac, a former women’s volleyball coach.

Have a topic you’d like us to explore? We welcome and encourage you to reach out with suggestions for future sessions: [email protected]

Unofficial Visits

Campus visits are a big part of the recruiting journey for the university, coaches and prospective student-athletes (PSAs), or recruits. In Part 1 of this series, we discussed official visits. For some universities or programs, budgets and accessibility make it difficult to offer multiple official visits, which is why unofficial visits are offered as an alternative. Unofficial visits allow recruits to visit campus, but all costs are covered by the recruit/recruit’s family. This means that recruits are responsible for their own travel, whether that includes flights, transportation, a hotel stay (if needed), and most other expenses. However, there are a couple of things that a program is allowed to pay for or provide during an unofficial visit. 

Teams are allowed to provide complimentary admissions to a home contest for the recruit and their accompanying family members. The program is also allowed to provide meals for the recruit and accompanying family members. While a program can’t provide a hotel room or pay to house the recruit, it may provide a dorm room with a current student-athlete, as long as the recruit pays the institutional lodging rate.

A question you might have is whether you can hold a tryout for a recruit while they are on an unofficial visit. The answer is yes. 

Just like a tryout held during an official visit, several pieces of paperwork are required for compliance purposes. The requirements are as follows:

  • A physical completed within the last year and a sickle cell test result. 
  • Tryouts must take place after June 15 going into the recruit’s junior year.
  • Each recruit can only participate in one tryout per college, not one tryout per campus visit. 
  • All paperwork should be collected and turned into the college’s compliance director. 

Coaches are always encouraged to discuss any further specific requirements that they want prior to tryouts on either official or unofficial visits, including when all paperwork must be turned in. 

Visits are a key aspect in recruiting for coaches, programs and potential student-athletes. They give both coaches and recruits the opportunity to get to know one another and begin building a connection. Before that can happen, however, coaches must ensure all requirements are in place so there are no issues when the recruit arrives on campus. This includes any required paperwork from both the NCAA and the college compliance director. Coaches are encouraged to make sure to clearly communicate with their compliance director in order to ensure that everything gets in on time so that they and the recruit can enjoy the visit day. 

As mentioned in Part 1, SprySign is incredibly helpful for keeping these things organized. Similar to the Official Visit workflow, coaches also have the opportunity to submit required information through an Unofficial Visit workflow. This makes the process for both coaches and administrators much more seamless while providing the recruit with a valuable, end-to-end experience.

 

Screenshot at  AM

 

All information was fact checked using the 2025-2026 NCAA Division II Manual.

Coaching at the collegiate level goes far beyond game strategy. That’s why we’re excited to announce a new blog series that explores the administrative side of running a successful collegiate program. This series is written by Coach Mac—a former women’s volleyball coach—and aims to highlight key topics that coaches and administrators navigate each and every day. 

Have a topic you’d like us to explore? We welcome and encourage you to reach out with suggestions for future sessions: [email protected]

Part 1: Official Visits

There is so much that goes into collegiate coaching beyond coaching the skills of the game. If you were anything like me when I first started coaching, I was so overwhelmed with all the paperwork and administrative items that needed to be done for both the university and NCAA. Throughout this series, we are going to investigate some of those additional items that newer coaches may want to learn about or even for seasoned coaches that just want to learn more. First up, we are going to be diving into official visits. 

An official visit is any visit to a college or university by a PSA and their parents that is paid for by the college. The key point is that the college pays for the visit. This could look like a college paying for your travel to campus, whether it be gas or even a flight, a night stay at the local hotel, entertainment, or complimentary admission to a home match. The only prospective student-athletes (PSAs) who are able to take official visits are those who have reached June 15th following their sophomore year, entering their junior year. PSA’s are only allowed to come on one official visit per college. For some coaches, this might happen as the PSA’s first time on campus or it might be later on in the recruiting process with the PSA. This is entirely dependent on the coach, program, or department. No official visit can exceed 48 hours. The time clock does not include travel time and will begin as soon as the PSA arrives on campus. 

In order to comply with all NCAA requirements, there are multiple items that should be collected and returned to your college’s compliance director prior to the arrival of the PSA on campus. Each coach will need to make sure that the PSA is registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center. This might also include having the PSA placed on the program’s IRL. The NCAA Eligibility Center is a website that all PSA’s must sign up on to be cleared to begin competing in college sports. The eligibility process begins during the recruiting process, not just when the PSA arrives on campus for their first day as a student-athlete. Every coach will need to make sure that they get an academic transcript from the PSA as well. For visits, the transcript can be an unofficial transcript from the PSA’s high school and not an official one. Transcripts will allow all compliance directors to ensure that the PSA is on the right track to being eligible to compete when they begin college athletics. Coaches should check with their compliance director at their institution to know how much prior these items should be completed. The forms might look different college to college, so coaches should check with their department if there is any specific paperwork that needs to be completed for the department. However, if there is nothing specific that needs to be turned in, I have included an example form to help you as you begin recruiting your PSAs and bringing them on campus for an official visit. 

During some official visits, coaches may want to have the PSA’s tryout or play live. This would allow coaches to be able to see how the PSA plays with the team and/or moves on the court or field. While this sounds like a great opportunity for both the PSA and coaches, there is additional paperwork that must be included in the official visit form such as, a physical and sickle cell test result. Similar to the requirements for official visits, tryouts must be after June 15th going into the PSA’s junior year and a PSA can only participate in one tryout per college. The physical must be completed within one year prior to the tryout date. Both of these items would be turned into the compliance director and shared with the college’s athletic trainer. 

Recruiting is a very exciting time for both the PSA and coaches. With the excitement can come moments when we forget to stay in compliance with NCAA regulations. That’s why it’s important for coaches to stay organized and prepare sooner rather than later, giving the PSA enough time to gather everything needed to fully enjoy their visit to campus. 

One way to keep all of this organized is by using SprySign, which allows coaches to submit everything they need through an Official Visit workflow. Instead of juggling multiple forms and emails, it puts all the required information in one place so your administrative staff has what they need to process the visit and keep everything compliant.

 

SprySign Official Visit Form

 

All information was fact checked using the 2025-2026 NCAA Division II Manual.

From SMSU Athletics

MARSHALL, Minn. – Southwest Minnesota State University has announced a new partnership with Spry, an industry-leading, all-in-one athletics management platform, providing the university with a comprehensive solution to enhance operational efficiency, compliance, and student-athlete engagement across its athletics department.

Through this partnership, SMSU will strengthen and modernize its athletic operations by leveraging a centralized platform, bringing recruiting, compliance, communication, paperwork, and roster management together in one intuitive system. Spry was built to help institutions centralize and streamline key administrative functions across its athletic programs, giving staff a more unified and efficient way to manage day-to-day responsibilities.

As a result, SMSU will save valuable staff time, reduce administrative costs, and operate with greater clarity and control, ultimately enabling the athletic department to dedicate more resources and attention to enhancing the student-athlete experience and driving competitive success.

“We are thrilled to partner with Southwest Minnesota State University,” said Lyle Adams, CEO of Spry. “SMSU has a strong commitment to their student-athletes, and we believe the Spry platform will be an invaluable asset in helping them achieve new levels of operational excellence and institutional alignment. This partnership underscores the growing need for integrated software solutions in collegiate athletics, and we look forward to supporting SMSU’s mission for years to come.”

“As we looked for ways to be innovative in how we operate, Spry stood out for its design and commitment to customer success,” said Travis Whipple, Vice President of Athletics. “We want tools that are built for institutions like ours, and Spry has demonstrated that commitment. Their platform will help us increase efficiency, reduce administrative friction, and ultimately better support our student-athletes, coaches, and staff.”

The implementation is underway, with full adoption planned before the start of the next academic year. Both organizations anticipate that the digital transformation facilitated by Spry will set a new standard for efficiency and strategic management within the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Benedict College Athletics is thrilled to announce the extension of its partnership with Spry, an athletic department management platform that aims to enhance and streamline internal processes.

“Spry truly listens to our needs and works alongside us as a partner,” said Theresa Laurante, Director of Compliance for Benedict College. “Their team is responsive, collaborative, and committed to helping us grow. As our department evolves, Spry continues to adapt with us, ensuring we have the tools and support necessary to operate at a high level and better serve our student-athletes.”

Benedict will continue to use Spry to enhance communication among coaches, staff, and athletes. With Spry’s large-scale messaging capabilities and eligibility management functions, Benedict’s athletic department will be able to streamline communication and make critical information accessible to all stakeholders in real time. Capitalizing on all Spry’s functions will facilitate Benedict Athletics to improve its efficiency and provide higher visibility for the student-athletes.

“We are excited about extending our partnership with Benedict College Athletics,” says Lyle Adams, CEO of Spry. “Their dedication to excellence resonates with our core values. We look forward to further collaborating with Athletic Director Willie Washington, and the entire Benedict College Athletics Department, to help them achieve new heights.”

About Benedict Athletics:
Benedict College fields 16 NCAA Division II teams, competing in baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, football, softball, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s indoor track and field, men’s and women’s outdoor track and field, and men’s and women’s volleyball. Benedict is a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, the nation’s second-oldest HBCU athletic conference with more than 120 years of storied excellence. Benedict has won the SIAC Commissioner’s Cup, presented to the school with the top overall athletic program, determined by team finishes in conference championships and tournaments, for men’s sports in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2022, 2023, and 2024, and for women’s sports in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2022 and 2023. From the start of the 2013 school year, Benedict has won 33 SIAC championships, more than any other school in the league.

About Benedict College:
Founded in 1870 by a woman, Bathsheba A. Benedict, Benedict College is a private co-educational liberal arts institution offering 29 competitive baccalaureate degree programs and two master’s degree programs. The Midlands HBCU welcomes students from several counties in South Carolina, states across America, and countries around the world. The College also has a diverse faculty deeply engaged in teaching, research, and service.

Benedict College has been highly regarded and exceptionally ranked for its programs by several academic and traditional publications.  Benedict College is the recipient of the 2024 UNCF Institutional Excellence Award given by UNCF’s Institute for Capacity Building Program in celebration of an HBCU that achieved next-level performance. Benedict was also named HBCU of the Year by HBCU Digest and voted the number one Gold Winner in The States’ BEST College or University in 2025.

Benedict College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate and master’s degrees. Five of the College’s degree programs hold national accreditation: Social Work Program, Environmental Health Science Program, Environmental Engineering, Studio Art, and the Tyrone Adam Burroughs School of Business and Entrepreneurship.

From Denison University Athletics

Granville, Ohio – Denison University Athletics has announced a multiyear partnership with Spry, a leading all-in-one athletics management platform built specifically for collegiate athletic departments. The partnership will centralize and modernize operations across Denison’s 28 varsity programs, aligning coaches, administrators, and staff within a single, integrated system.

“Spry is a comprehensive solution for Big Red Athletics that immediately elevates the multitude of ways that our coaches, student-athletes, and staff interact,’ states Matt Tanney, Denison’s  Associate V.P., Director of Athletics/ Associate Professor of Physical Education. “The recruiting compatibility with Slate, the messaging features for our teams, and the streamlined compliance functionality transforms the way we operate. All of these efficiencies enable our coaches and staff to dedicate more time to what they do best – mentoring, coaching, and supporting our talented student-athletes in the pursuit of championships.”

At the core of this collaboration is the implementation of SpryAdmission, Spry’s Slate integration. By seamlessly connecting Athletics and Admissions, Denison will establish a unified recruiting and enrollment workflow, eliminating silos, reducing administrative burden, and enhancing visibility across departments.

SpryAdmissions will allow Denison to:

  • Strengthen recruiting workflows by aligning Athletics and Admissions in one shared system.

  • Automate the exchange of prospective student-athlete (PSA) data, eliminating duplicative entry and reducing errors.

  • Provide real-time visibility into admissions status and recruiting pipelines for coaches and administrators.

  • Empower coaches with direct access to admissions updates within each PSA profile, minimizing back-and-forth communication.

Beyond admissions alignment, Spry delivers a comprehensive platform that supports recruiting, compliance, communication, roster management, and paperwork in one centralized environment. Denison will benefit from a modern, unified system designed specifically for collegiate athletics.

“Denison Athletics is committed to excellence, both competitively and operationally,” said Lyle Adams, Founder and CEO of Spry. “We’re proud to partner with Denison to strengthen the alignment between Athletics and Admissions, streamline recruiting workflows, and provide a high-value solution that respects the institution’s mission and resources. Our goal is simple: to be a true partner in their long-term success.”

About Denison University Athletics

Denison Athletics is home to 21 North Coast Athletic Conference All-Sports Championships, including the last six in a row. Home to 130 All-Americans and 55 NCAA Post-Graduate Scholars, Big Red Athletics inspires competitive excellence, personal development, and meaningful lifelong relationships. In the fall of 2026, women’s water polo and men’s fencing will become varsity sports, bringing the total to 28 varsity athletic programs competing at the NCAA Division III level.

From Hartwick College Athletics

ONEONTA, NY —Hartwick College Athletics has entered into a new partnership with Spry, a leading athletics management platform. Spry was built specifically for institutions seeking a more efficient and unified approach to managing athletic operations. Rather than relying on disconnected solutions, Hartwick will leverage a centralized platform that brings recruiting, compliance, communication, paperwork, and roster management together in one intuitive system. Spry’s approach prioritizes operational efficiency, budget-conscious pricing, and a hands-on partnership model that ensures long-term success.

As part of the partnership, Hartwick will implement SpryAdmissions, Spry’s direct integration with Slate, to strengthen their recruiting workflows and create a seamless connection between athletics and admissions. By synchronizing recruiting data directly with Slate, Hartwick will eliminate duplicative data entry, improve real-time visibility into prospective student-athletes, and accelerate the transition from recruit to enrolled student.

“Our Athletic Department has been seeking opportunities to streamline our recruiting operations, compliance tools, connectivity with our student-athletes and bringing all of our daily communications under one umbrella,” said Paul Vecchio, Executive Director of Athletics. “In Spry we have found an athletics administrative platform that not only fits our needs but also our budget. We have found the Spry team to be extremely responsive and look forward to a partnership that will allow us to maximize our collective talent in our department and support a championship mindset.”

This partnership enables Hartwick to unify athletics and admissions efforts within one connected workflow, allowing coaches to focus more on building relationships with recruits while their admissions teams gain clearer insight into the athletic pipeline. The result is a more strategic and efficient recruiting process that supports institutional enrollment goals.

“We’re proud to partner with Hartwick College Athletics as they continue to invest in tools that strengthen collaboration across their department and campus,” said Lyle Adams, CEO of Spry. “By aligning athletics and admissions through our Slate integration, we’re helping Hartwick streamline key processes, improve visibility, and deliver meaningful value in a way that respects institutional priorities.”

About Hartwick College Athletics
Hartwick College, which boasts nearly 200 All-Americans, 10 Final Four appearances and both team and individual national champions, sponsors 21 Division III sports in the highly competitive Empire 8 Conference. Hartwick Athletics is committed to building champions both in and out of the competitive arena while preparing our students to make a positive impact on our world after they leave Oyaron Hill.

About Hartwick College:
Hartwick, often referred to as The Life Balance College, is a private liberal arts and sciences institution in Oneonta, N.Y. Through its distinctive FlightPath approach, Hartwick blends academic excellence, career preparation and an active campus life to help students achieve a balanced and fulfilling college experience. With transparent tuition and a focus on health and wellness, Hartwick prepares students for lifelong success—both professionally and personally.

From Westminster University Athletics

Salt Lake City, UT – Westminster University announced a new multi-year partnership with Spry, a leading collegiate athletics management platform. Through this partnership, Westminster Athletics will implement Spry’s all-in-one platform to streamline core departmental workflows and processes, including recruiting, communication, compliance, scheduling, and roster management. By moving these processes into a single, integrated platform, the department is positioned to operate more efficiently while unlocking admins and coaches to spend more time supporting student-athlete development and competitive success.

“Westminster University Athletic Department is excited to partner with Spry for its compliance and recruitment needs. This software will help elevate our department and create more streamlined processes. Coaches and administrators have been onboarded and are excited to start using the platform beginning in the 2026-27 academic year. Students will be able to start using the app in early summer 2026.” — James Patten II, Director of Compliance

The adoption of Spry reflects Westminster’s commitment to investing in modern technology that aligns with the realities of today’s collegiate athletics environment. As student-athletes balance academics, athletics, and personal responsibilities, Westminster is focused on providing tools that simplify communication, increase transparency, and improve accountability across the department.

“We’re honored to partner with Westminster University as they continue to move their athletic department forward,” said Lyle Adams, Founder and CEO of Spry. “President Bethami Dobkin has fostered a culture centered on innovation and student success, and that leadership clearly extends into athletics. Interim Athletic Director Shelley Jarrard and Director of Compliance James Patten are taking a thoughtful, modern approach to supporting their staff and student-athletes through technology. We’re excited to support their vision as a long-term partner.”

As Westminster Athletics continues to evolve, Spry will serve as the department’s core operating system, supporting centralized communication, digital paperwork and forms, and real-time compliance tracking. The partnership represents a strategic step forward in Westminster’s efforts to build a more modern, efficient, and people-first athletic department.


About Westminster Athletics

Westminster University Athletics competes in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) at the NCAA Division II level. The Griffins support a mission of providing student-athletes the opportunity to achieve excellence in the classroom, in competition, and in the community.

#GoGriffins

From Indiana Tech Athletics

Fort Wayne, IN – Indiana Tech Athletics has partnered with Spry, an athletics management platform, to increase efficiency across department operations. This partnership will implement Spry’s platform across the Warrior athletic department to support compliance processes, improve internal communication and operations, and ensure adherence to NAIA regulations for Indiana Tech student-athletes, coaches, and administrators.

“We’re excited to welcome Spry as a new partner of Indiana Tech Athletics,” said Athletic Director Jessie Biggs. “As our department continues to grow, improving efficiency across our operations is essential. Spry provides tools and support that help streamline processes, allowing our coaches and staff to spend more time focused on what matters most, supporting our student-athletes and driving competitive success.”

Spry’s all-in-one platform will provide Indiana Tech’s athletic department with integrated tools for compliance, facility management, communication, scheduling, recruiting, and roster management. By consolidating these critical operations, Indiana Tech aims to reduce administrative burdens and enable coaches, administrators, and student-athletes to focus on performance and development.

“We are honored to partner with Indiana Tech, one of the top NAIA athletics departments in the country,” said Lyle Adams, Spry founder and CEO. “Their commitment to innovation and operational excellence aligns perfectly with Spry’s mission. We look forward to supporting their coaches, administrators, and student-athletes.”

About Indiana Tech Athletics
Indiana Tech, officially known as the Indiana Institute of Technology, is a private university located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Indiana Tech has earned 21 national championships across sports, including track and field, men’s and women’s bowling, men’s ice hockey, and women’s lacrosse, as well as 103 individual national champions in track and field, men’s wrestling, and women’s golf. The university is led by President Dr. Karl W. Einolf, with Dr. Daniel J. Stoker serving as Vice President for Student Affairs, and Jessie Biggs as Director of Athletics. Learn more at https://indianatechwarriors.com.

From United East Conference

Latham, NY – The United East Conference is proud to announce a new multi-year partnership with Spry, a leading collegiate athletics management platform. This collaboration builds on the strong relationships Spry has developed with several United East members over the past two years and marks an exciting expansion to serve the entire conference, enhancing NCAA compliance, roster management, and athletic department efficiency.

Spry’s comprehensive platform will empower United East athletic departments with software for roster management, streamlined communication, secure document management, and cross-campus collaboration. This ensures coaches, administrators, and student-athletes have the cutting-edge technology they need to succeed in the classroom and on the field.

We’ve seen firsthand the positive impact Spry has made at individual United East institutions, and we’re thrilled to now bring that same level of innovation and support to every member school,” said Lyle Adams, Founder & CEO of Spry. “Our mission has always been to provide unmatched customer service and act as a true partner in our clients’ success. This conference-wide partnership reflects the United East’s forward-thinking approach to serving its schools and student-athletes with the best athletic administration software.

Under the leadership of Commissioner Stephanie Dutton, the United East has demonstrated a strong commitment to innovation and collaboration. “The United East Conference is dedicated to supporting our member institutions and finding new ways to meet their needs,” said Dutton. “Spry’s responsiveness to the needs of our athletic administrators and willingness to create a partnership that works for such a large conference with diverse needs made this partnership one that will enhance the operations of our member institutions who are utilizing Spry’s software.

With this strategic partnership, the United East Conference continues its mission of elevating the student-athlete experience and supporting administrators with tools that save time, reduce costs, and improve collaboration across all NCAA Division III athletics.

About United East Conference
The United East boasts 15 NCAA Division III full member institutions which include: Cairn University, Cedar Crest College, Gallaudet University, Keystone College, Lancaster Bible College, Notre Dame of Maryland University, Penn College, Penn State Abington, Penn State Berks, Penn State Brandywine, Penn State Harrisburg, Rosemont College, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, University of Valley Forge, and Wilson College. For more information, please visit gounitedeast.com.

About Spry
Spry is a modern athletics management platform trusted by over 100 institutions and 20,000+ student-athletes. Spry empowers collegiate athletic departments by streamlining operations across compliance, recruiting, communication, scheduling, and digital paperwork—offering more value at a fraction of the cost of legacy systems. Learn more at www.spry.so.

From Southern Wesleyan Athletics

Central, SC – Southern Wesleyan University (SWU) is proud to announce a new multi-year partnership with Spry, a leading collegiate athletics management platform. This partnership marks a major step in SWU’s commitment to innovation and operational excellence, helping to streamline athletic processes while enhancing the student-athlete experience.

Spry’s all-in-one platform will provide Southern Wesleyan’s athletic department with integrated tools for compliance, communication, scheduling, recruiting, and roster management. By consolidating these critical operations, SWU aims to reduce administrative burdens and enable coaches, administrators, and student-athletes to focus on performance and development.

We are excited to partner with Spry and bring their innovative solutions to Southern Wesleyan University Athletics,” said Julia Reininga, Vice President for Athletics. “Spry’s platform allows us to modernize our approach, simplify day-to-day operations, and provide better service to our student-athletes and staff. This is an important step in our ongoing efforts to create a more efficient and connected athletic department.

The partnership reflects SWU’s proactive strategy to stay ahead of increasing compliance demands and resource constraints by embracing technology that’s intuitive, cost-effective, and designed with the end user in mind.

We’re thrilled to partner with the entire Southern Wesleyan Athletics department,” said Lyle Adams, Founder and CEO of Spry. “AD Reininga’s vision for excellence is inspiring. At Spry, we’re not just providing software—we’re delivering a partnership rooted in trust, innovation, and customer care.

As part of the collaboration, Spry will serve as the core operating system for SWU Athletics, enabling centralized communication, digital paperwork automation, and real-time compliance tracking. This partnership further expands Spry’s presence in the Conference Carolinas and underscores the company’s mission to be a true partner—not just a vendor—to athletic departments nationwide.

About Southern Wesleyan University
Southern Wesleyan University is a Christ-centered, student-focused learning community located in Central, South Carolina. A proud member of NCAA Division II and Conference Carolinas, SWU offers 13 intercollegiate athletic programs dedicated to developing student-athletes academically, athletically, and spiritually.

About Spry
Spry is a modern athletics management platform trusted by over 100 institutions and 20,000+ student-athletes. Spry empowers collegiate athletic departments by streamlining operations across compliance, recruiting, communication, scheduling, and digital paperwork—offering more value at a fraction of the cost of legacy systems. Learn more at www.spry.so.